


The Rehabilitation of Bucky Barnes in Six (not so) Easy Steps by The Avengers

by seratonation



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Cell Phones, Domestic Avengers, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Rehabilitation, Sleep, Video & Computer Games, Yoga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-03-08 01:37:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3190940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seratonation/pseuds/seratonation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a lot to get used to now that Bucky is back in the world, it's a good thing the Avengers are here to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Rehabilitation of Bucky Barnes in Six (not so) Easy Steps by The Avengers

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Командная реабилитация Баки Барнса за 6 (не очень-то) простых шагов](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10430973) by [sverhanutaya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sverhanutaya/pseuds/sverhanutaya)



> Thank you to Shannen for the beta <3

Natasha is gentle as she helps Bucky into the bathtub. She slides into the water behind him and encourages him to go lower still, until the water was up to his chin. 

He puts his head back and she uses her hands to wet his hair. Next she squeezes out shampoo and carefully lathers it in. 

“How are you doing?” she asks. His jaw is clenched, and so are his fists, but he nods once. 

“I’m going to wash it out now. I’ll be careful, but you might need to close your eyes.”

He nods again and closes his eyes. Once again she uses her hands, and despite the warning, no water drips on to his face. 

Once all the soap is out, she does the same with the conditioner, working it from the roots to the tips between her hands. 

“I’m going to try to brush some of the knots now, okay?” she says, “I’ll try to not pull too hard, and I can stop at any time.”

He doesn't react this time, so she waits. Minutes pass. Finally, he shakes his head. 

She nods once, even though he can’t see her. “Okay,” she says, “we can try tomorrow-”

“No,” he says, “I want to do it myself.”

***

“Hands in prayer,” Bruce starts, consciously slowing his speech along with his breathing, “close your eyes.” He opens one eye and sees Bucky frowning back at him. “Take a few breaths from your heart centre. Okay, now inhale and arch up.” He stretches his hands up and sees the class do the same. 

“Hips forward, arch back and look up, really stretch,” Bruce says, “good, inhale and straighten up. Slowly roll down on the next exhale, fingertips to toes.” 

He hears a grunt, it could have been Tony, or it could have been Clint. “Bend your knees if you have to. Now roll up, hands to knees, tighten the front of your thighs, back straight. Open up your chest. Breathe in.” He hears the soft breaths of his class, “That’s it, now forward bend, hands flat on your mat, shoulder-width apart, and step one leg then the next into plank.”

There is a strange, metallic clicking sound but Bruce ignores it. “Breathe into plank, and then stiffly lower yourself to the floor.”

There’s a sigh and it’s most likely Tony this time. “How’s everyone holding up? Good? Now breathe in and push your head and shoulders up into cobra, look up. On an exhale, move up into mountain. Hold...hold.”

There’s more metallic clicking, and Bruce tries to hide his smile. “Just relax,” he says, “pull your torso up, make sure your butt is high, look at your navel if you can.”

He sneaks a look up and finds Clint in the perfect position, Tony struggling to hold still and Bucky, well. Bucky looks like he might collapse any second now.

“Good,” he says, “you guys are doing great, now look down, to somewhere between your hands, and spring or lightly step forward.”

There‘s a bang and he almost loses his balance. He makes a mental note to emphasis ‘lightly’ next time. “Now go straight back to table, hands on thighs, then roll forward, fingertips to toes. Now breathe in, bend your knees and roll up, up and arching back on an inhale. Hands together and back into prayer, eyes closed. Good. Take a couple of relaxed breaths from the heart centre.”

He goes through the sequence two more times, but instead of going to standing at the end he gets them to rest in child pose. He waits until his heart slows down, then waits a few more beats before he rolls up.

“Now come up to seated,” he says, “and roll on to your back.”

“No.”

He looks up, and sees Bucky glaring back at him. “Okay,” he replies, smiling, “you can stay like this if you want, or you can lie down,” he says to the others, “whatever you’re comfortable with.”

He watches the others as he talks them through meditation. It wasn’t much, but he was glad he could help in some way.

***

“Stop breaking the phones I give you, Barnes,” Tony says, handing him a new one.

Bucky glares at him but takes the new phone. “Your phones are too fragile.”

“If Thor can do it, so can you,” Tony insists, “if you just let me-”

“You’re not touching the arm, Stark.”

“I could-”

“No.”

Tony sighs. “Fine. This phone is made of mostly metal, the screen is smashproof, they make bulletproof windows with that stuff. The insides are still pretty breakable though so maybe don't crush it intentionally.”

“It’s never intentional,” he says, testing the phone in his hand.

“And I made you these,” Tony continues, pulling out a long thin box from his back pocket.

Bucky slips the phone in his own pocket and takes the box from him. “What is it?” 

“It’s a ‘things-you-use-with-your-hands’ set,” Tony says, “you’re bending my utensils to all hell, and I’ve seen the broken pencils everywhere-”

Bucky just looks up from the opened box to Tony and back.

“There’s a stylus in there too,” Tony continues, “also indestructible, so you can just hold the phone in your right hand and tap at the screen with the stylus in your left, instead of having to use your flesh hand or gloves or whatever. I noticed the reason the phones kept getting crushed is because you’re holding them in your left hand but you’re a lefty and that’s just stupid it’s hard enough to keep making these things but you need to be using them right-”

“Thanks, Tony,” Bucky says, quietly, and Tony stops talking.

“Maybe we can implant it into your metal hand,” he tries again, and when Bucky gives him a look he continues, “when you’re ready, of course.”

They stand in awkward silence for a moment, then Tony puts his hands into his pockets, turns on his heel and walks away. “Keep me updated,” he says, and with a wave over his shoulder, he’s gone. 

***

Thor is surprised when James requests his attendance. He tells Thor that he wants to visit his old home and he needs someone to chaperone, as his therapist does not want him to go alone. 

“It would be my pleasure,” Thor says. He does not ask why James did not ask Steve or one of the others. If James asks him, it means it’s his presence that he requires. 

The building is a thirty minute walk from the station, but James knows the way, taking quick steps and efficient turns until finally he stops. He turns and looks at the building across the street, and then he looks further up. 

Thor makes sure to stand a distance away from him. He can see that James is struggling with something internal and he does not want to intrude on his thoughts. 

Finally James turns to face Thor and hunches into his hoodie, so he steps closer. 

“Are you ready?” he asks.

James nods, and they fall into step. “Thank you for coming with me,” James says. 

“It was no trouble,” Thor replies, “this is what friends are for.”

“Are we friends?”

“Of course,” he says, “any friend of Steve’s is a friend of mine, and he cares for you deeply.”

“But _you_ don't know me,” he says, burying his hands in his pockets, despite the heat of the day.

“I know enough,” Thor says, gently placing a hand on James’ shoulder. 

“I feel like I don’t know you though,” James finally says, “I know we booked out the whole day, and it’s only 12, did you - did you want to go get food or something?”

“That is an excellent idea,” Thor says, beaming, “I am all but famished.”

James smiles, and seems to relax a little. “There’s a place we passed on the way,” he says, “I think I’d like to try it.”

Thor grins back. “Lead the way, friend.”

***

“Just go to sleep,” Steve says.

“Like it’s that easy,” Bucky bites back, “Just close my eyes and sleep.”

“No,” Steve says, “like this.” He settles next to Bucky, over the blankets and faces him. “Close your eyes.”

“No.” Bucky says.

“Okay,” Steve says, not hesitating, “take my wrist and find my pulse.”

Bucky reaches for Steves wrist with his right hand, and finds Steve’s pulse. 

“Now you’re going to have to track my breathing, can you do it like this?”

“Yes,” Bucky replies. 

“Good,” Steve whispers, “now follow my breaths, count to six on the inhales, hold for three and out for six, okay?”

Bucky nods and watches Steve breathing for a couple of breaths before he started to match him. It looks a bit forced to start with but eventually it evens out to something more natural and finally, Bucky drifts off. 

Steve feels himself drifting too but he has his own bed, and his own room. He isn't a heavy sleeper and he tends to have bad nights too. He pulls away as gently as he can but his movement must wake Bucky up because when he looks down Bucky is looking at him, heavy lidded and sleepy. 

“Where are you going?”

“To my own room, Buck,” Steve says, “I don’t want to keep waking you.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” he mumbles, “get back here. Please?”

Steve really can't say no to that so he strips down to his boxers and gets back into bed. Bucky slowly reaches out to Steve’s wrist and finds his pulse again. They’re both asleep in minutes.

***

“It’s really easy,” Clint says, “you press X to go forward, A to drop something and the left and right buttons to change directions, obviously. Okay?”

“I don't think-” Steve starts. 

“Cap,” Clint says warningly and hands Bucky a controller. 

Thirty minutes later Bucky has his feet on his chair in a crouch, growling at the screen in concentration. When he comes last, again, he jumps down. “These controls don't make any sense!”

“If you wanna give up,” Clint says, crossing his ankles and leaning back in his own chair, “I’d totally understand.”

“What?” Bucky says, turning to him almost ferociously. 

“I get it,” Clint says, “you’re old and behind on the times, that’s okay, we can try another time, and I’ll beat you again.”

Bucky bares his teeth at him. “Over my dead body.”

Clint shrugs and pulls himself up. “Your funeral.”

Eventually Bucky gets the hang of the game, so much so that he was starting to win some of the races. Clint catches Steve’s eye and winks at him behind Bucky’s back. 

“Looks like you're getting there,” he says to Bucky, “one level left.”

Bucky grins at him. “You’re going down,” he says, “what's this level called?”

“Rainbow Road,” Clint says, and tries to hide his enthusiasm. 

“Buck-” Steve tries to warn him. 

“Cap, seriously,” Clint says, “every man for himself.”

They start the level and when he sees his chance he takes it, pushing Bucky off the Rainbow bridge. He waits for a few seconds.

“Why can’t I come back?” Bucky asks. 

“You don’t come back from rainbow falls!” Clint laughs. He was so busy gloating he takes a turn too hard and also falls off. He swears and turns to Bucky. “One more time, last level.”

“You’re on!”

Clint comes to do it again but it’s like Bucky’s ability to play the game shoots up about three times. He dodges Clint’s attempts and then does a sharp turn, pushing Clint over the edge right at the end of the race. 

Clint stares dumbly at the screen as Bucky’s character celebrates the win. “What just happened.”

“You shouldn't have let me win so much, dumbass,” Bucky says. 

“What? Wait,” Clint said, watching Bucky smugly do laps around the living room, “you knew?”

“I’m super, remember?” 

“I demand a rematch!” Clint says, “a do over.”

“Too late,” Bucky said, “my names up top.”

“Let me try,” Steve says suddenly. They both looked at him and Bucky’s grin turns feral. Clint put his hands up and backs away. 

“This can only end in disaster,” he says.

“It’ll be fine,” Steve says, taking the controller and sitting in his place. 

Clint considers moving out of Stark tower again. But first he needs to get popcorn and the rest of the team in on this. It’s going to be amazing.

**Author's Note:**

> Tony's scene was inspired by [this art by cargsdoodles](http://cargsdoodles.tumblr.com/post/86128700599/thanks-tony).
> 
> The yoga sequence Bruce goes through is sort of like [this one](https://moonladyyoga.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/sun-salutation-the-dawning-of-a-ritual/). The discrepancy is because the scene was inspired while I was in yoga class and that's the sequence we use. 
> 
> [My tumblr](http://yourethehellisbucky.tumblr.com/) if that's your sort of thing.


End file.
